(ARA)- People who have good physical function after the age of 40 may lower their risk of stroke by as much as 50 percent compared to people who are not able to climb stairs, kneel, bend, or lift as well, according to research published in the latest issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"People who reported better physical function had significantly lower risk of stroke," says study author Phyo Kyaw Myint, MRCP, with the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. "This is independent of the known risk factors for stroke in the general population."
Actions you can take to help reduce the risk of a stroke include:
* Eating a low-salt, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.
* Controlling high blood pressure.
* Quitting smoking.
* Taking drugs that reduce blood-clotting.
* Controlling cholesterol with drugs.
For more information, visit the American Academy of Neurology's website at www.aan.com.